Monday, July 8, 2013

Christianity Pt.2

Dave Armstrong followed up my question with an in depth look at biblical eschatology, end of days studies:

http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2008/12/meaning-of-last-days-in-hebrew-biblical.html

"The subject of eschatology plays a prominent part in New Testament teaching and religion. Christianity in its very origin bears an eschatological character. It means the appearance of the Messiah and the inauguration of His work; and from the Old Testament point of view these form part of eschatology. It is true in Jewish theology the days of the Messiah were not always included in the eschatological age proper, but often regarded as introductory to it (compare Weber, Judische Theol. 2:371). And in the New Testament also this point of view is to some extent represented, inasmuch as, owing to the appearance of the Messiah and the only partial fulfillment of the prophecies for the present, that which the Old Testament depicted as one synchronous movement is now seen to divide into two stages, namely, the present Messianic age and the consummate state of the future."

The paper by Mr.Armstrong goes into a very good and detailed analysis of why the New Testament depicts the end of days happening in the near future. This does not negate the problem for me though that Jesus predicted the end of days within the first century, and it did not occur. 

No comments:

Post a Comment